At Adjournment:

Govt. JVP objects to non-amended motion

Uditha Kumarasinghe, Irangika Range and Sandasen Marasinghe

There was a tense situation in Parliament yesterday as a result of the objection raised by the Government and the JVP due to presentation of a non-amended adjournment motion instead of the amended motion by TNA MP S. Shivagilingam.

The Government and the JVP opposed the motion by declaring that the context of the motion has violated the Constitution of Sri Lanka.

M. K. Sivalingam (TNA): Hundreds of innocent civilians are being killed by the areal bombing.

Interruptions by the JVP

We can’t allow him to move this motion. We can’t allow this traitor to move this motion.

Speaker: If something is against the standing orders, there are steps to be taken regarding it.

Wimal Weerawansa (JVP): We cannot allow him to make such statements. We do not have the LTTE controlled areas. We are not ready to debate this issue.

Prime Minister Ratnasiri Wickremanayake: This motion is illegal. So he cannot move this motion.

Speaker: The MP should amend and move this motion.

Wimal Weerawansa: In the morning, I raised a point of order regarding this issue. We said we are ready to discuss the amended motion. But the MP moved this motion without any amendment. He has already moved the motion.

Mavai Senadhiraja (TNA): The motion was presented to the Speaker after it was edited. Still the CFA is in force. The controversial parts of the motion have been removed.

Speaker: This amendment was made not because of the JVP. The Leader of the House has received the motion which has not been amended.

Wimal Weerawansa: Prabhakaran has said that the LTTE has abolished the CFA. We have no connection with the CFA. We only say “LTTE controlled areas” cannot be included in this motion. Everybody should respect the country’s constitution.

Speaker: Tamil speaking Members have a right to speak. We should ensure that right.

Wimal Weerawansa: The TNA MP has denied the rights of the Tamil speaking people by moving this motion.

Felix Perera, Minister of Fisheries: All the MPs pledged that we accept the unitary state. The speaker should ask the TNA whether they accept the oaths taken in Parliament or before Prabhakaran.

Jeyaraj Fernandopulle, Minister of Highways: We have only another seven minutes. Therefore the MP can move the edited motion another day.

Wimal Weerawansa: We would like to consider this motion if the MP removes the term ‘LTTE controlled areas’. This Parliament is not under the control of Prabhakaran. We cannot let the MP violate the Constitution.

Speaker: If we have violated the Standing Orders, we can bring amendments to it. We should allow the MPs to speak. We should move this motion as an amended one.